[TriLUG] Code of Conduct

[Tanner Lovelace]

On 8/14/07, Allen Freeman <knieveltech at yahoo.com> wrote:
> From a detached third party standpoint it appears the document in question IS inevitable.
>Despite vigorous denouncement of the entire concept by a number of people, the
>principals behind this document haven't blinked once and continue to
flog editing verbiage
>as the sole method of dispute arbitration. The general refusal to
address the various
>well-thought-out comments that call into question why such a document is even
>necessary have been met with glib doubletalk, or (most disturbingly)
have been ignored
>wholesale. For myself I don't have any particular investment in the
LUG so I'll be sitting on
>the sidelines chuckling regardless of how this pans out. I do think
this is a prime
>opportunity for folks to stop and contemplate the relationship
between Policy and
>Bureaucracy, the nature thereof, and ask the simple question: how do
we (members or
>otherwise) benefit from any of this?

Allen,

I have yet to see many "well-thought-out comments" about why we
shouldn't have the
document.  The reactions all seem to fall in the range of "we're all
adults so we don't
need this document" to "I'm insulted that you would try to tell me
what to do".  All
these commenters, however, fail to even address the behavior seen on
the list the
past few days that shows, to me at least, the very reasons why we need such a
document.  How can you sit there with a straight face, reading comments like
"a complete douche" or "STFU" and tell me we don't need something like this?

But, even then, your argument that we don't need something like this falls flat
on its face because for the past 6+ years or so we *HAVE* had
something like this!
If you ever bothered to read the TriLUG Frequently Asked Questions
(which I've been
the maintainer of since *before* I was ever elected to the Steering Committee
back in 2002), there are 2 sections in it that deal with members behavior.

http://tinyurl.com/38qptb - What is "appropriate content" for each of
the TriLUG lists?
http://tinyurl.com/2jdl7o - If the lists aren't moderated, how can
there be any rules?

Those sections have been there for more than 6 years and no one has *ever*
had any objection to them.  They predate my involvement with TriLUG governance.
They are, in effect, a CODE OF CONDUCT!   As I see it, the proposed Code
of Conduct that Matt has put forward is simply just updating what we already
have.  It is not, as some would wont to put it, a "radical departure" from what
the LUG has historically done.  It is not some grand conspiracy against a few
people.  Is is *NOT* something the SC is trying to shove down people's throats!
(If it were, they probably would have just called a vote last meeting.)

Now as to your last question, "how do we as members benefit from this?",
I still fail to see just what is wrong with the LUG coming out and encouraging
people to "Be Respectful" and "Be Considerate".  Both of those things have
been severely lacking from this thread and from many other threads in recent
memory.  I would, instead, turn your question around and ask, "how will TriLUG
members be harmed without this CoC?"  Phrased that way, I think it is obvious.
The actions of a few can harm the greater TriLUG majority.  Yes, I think for
the vast majority of TriLUG members, we don't really need the code of conduct,
but if I can borrow the words of Bill Cosby: "A word to the wise ain't
necessary -
it's the stupid ones that need the advice."  The CoC will not suddenly change
anything at all in the LUG.  It is, instead, a first step along the
path of learning
to get along with each other, or if not that, then just remembering to refrain
from saying anything.

Tanner



-- 
Tanner Lovelace
clubjuggler at gmail dot com
http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
(fieldless) In fess two roundels in pale, a billet fesswise and an
increscent, all sable.